Hmmmm Vista upgrade invalidates your XP key

Auvers

If you choose to purchase an upgrade version of Windows Vista to upgrade XP, you will no longer be able to use that version of XP.

Either on another system, or as a dual-boot option. The key will be invalidated, preventing activation.

From Vista’s EULA found here (PDF) : http://download.microsoft.com/documents/useterms/Windows%20Vista_Home%20Premium_English_d16c019b-fa71-4fc9-a51d-a0621bddb153.pdf

13. UPGRADES. To use upgrade software, you must first be licensed for the software that is eligiblefor the upgrade. Upon upgrade, this agreement takes the place of the agreement for the software you upgraded from. After you upgrade, you may no longer use the software you upgraded from.

For many people this may not be a problem, but it’s a change from earlier versions of Windows.

mukki

that makes sense

the older versions were letting you break the liscence agreement

SirLemonhead

Yeah, I don't get why people are making a big deal out of this..you paid for an upgrade, not a whole new product to run alongside the one one.

Sir Oxman

What if you want to revert to Xp upon discovering (according to your needs) that vista is a bag o' sh?*te?

CiaranC

So with this if you need disaster recovery, youd need to install xp, then upgrade all over again? Do you need to have an activated copy of XP to upgrade? If thats the case, then arent you pretty buggered?

If you dont need an activated copy of xp to reinstall this, then whats to stop everyone from just installing xp and going up to vista for a fraction of the price, and how would this be detectable?

hmmm

SirLemonhead

It wont invalidate your key, you just cant use and validate your copy of XP on another machine if you've upgraded and validated Vista on another.

So it's one or the other

Sir Oxman

Well, if true that sounds fair enough.

The fact that the upgrade requires a VALIDATED XP to install still worries me.
The XP key is auto-inavliadated so some hoops are needed to be negotiated before I can re-install.
I know I can image my XP and use that if ever (which is a given) need to re-intsall Vista through an upgrade.

MS's EULA's are full of legalese crap which makes me, a legitimate user, feel like a fcking criminal.

I do not like that.

signed

An MS Windows User. l-e-g-a-l..

aidan_walsh

The fact that the upgrade requires a VALIDATED XP to install still worries me.

It shouldn't if you have a valid XP. Why should Microsoft give you a discount on an upgrade when you didn't buy the original software to begin with?

Sir Oxman

aidan_walsh wrote:

It shouldn't if you have a valid XP. Why should Microsoft give you a discount on an upgrade when you didn't buy the original software to begin with?

I totally agree and understand what 'upgrade' means.

The bit that gets me is the XP key is invalidated upon Vista upgrade install - which means if I don't know/have access to imaging software I have to reinstall XP which will then have an invalid key even though it is legitimate.
I then have to phone MS and explain things to them which I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.
I'm sorry but i should not have to explain myself to anybody, especially at their prices.
Microsoft should have some procedure in place whereby the customer (THAT'S THE CUSTOMER, not THE CRIMINAL which MS now presumes the CUSTOMER to be) can de-activate and install remotely then recativate according to T&Cs.
It should be remotely done, not going through hoops and explaining oneself.

I have phoned many a time with a retail XP and though the procedure is not unpleasant there is still an element of trepidation waiting on some droid to give the go-ahead.

IT IS NOT RIGHT.
And in my opinion, that is the end of story.

Surely that is a simple procedure to implement? Remote activation/deactivation?
My personal feeling on the whole activation w*nk is that it is part of moving all software to 'services' rather than buying a product once and that's it.

Activation and the way it is implememented is not customer friendly and was never intended to be.
We are being sucked into a yearly fee for every product we now presume to purchase.

Mountjoy Mugger

There is a workaround -

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/95011/95011.html?Ad=1

Oracle

I've rang MS activation and actually spoke with a human! What did I say? I find the truth is easiest. They asked "Why do you need an activation code?" I answered because I'm re-installing Windows. They then asked; "Do you have Windows installed on any other computer?" I answered No. They asked for the product key on the side of the PC and then gave me an activation code which I entered. Easy. I hope Vista will be similar.

ethernet

Mountjoy Mugger wrote:

There is a workaround -

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Article/ArticleID/95011/95011.html?Ad=1

The same workaround, also from Paul Thurrot, on his WinSupersite.